Newport August 2019
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Can you foster care?<br />
Families and individuals who are prepared to offer help<br />
to vulnerable youngsters in need of a loving stable home are being<br />
sought by <strong>Newport</strong> City Council as Social Services department.<br />
The Fostering Service is in need<br />
of foster carers able to offer these<br />
children a safe place in which to live.<br />
The focus of the work of the<br />
Fostering Service is at all times trying<br />
to ensure that we place <strong>Newport</strong><br />
children with our foster carers in<br />
order that they can remain within<br />
the area, continue to attend the<br />
same school or education provision<br />
and receive support from local staff.<br />
Nick Lovell, Social Worker<br />
with the Fostering Team said:<br />
“We need foster carers to be able<br />
to offer homes to these vulnerable<br />
children, many who come from very<br />
troubled backgrounds and who have<br />
witnessed violence in the home or<br />
who live with parents who just can’t<br />
cope with looking after them due<br />
to their own problems.<br />
“We particularly need carers willing<br />
to take older children, teenagers<br />
and sibling groups.<br />
“We don’t expect a perfect family<br />
set up but what we need are people<br />
willing to go through a process<br />
enabling them to take on such an<br />
important role as a foster carer.”<br />
Many people have an image of a<br />
troubled teenager smashing up their<br />
home or being a disruptive influence<br />
in their family, and while some may<br />
be challenging, many carers have<br />
found this myth to be just that.<br />
“These children need stability,<br />
regular routines, support and<br />
encouragement to attend school<br />
regularly and being able to live<br />
normal lives in a safe environment.<br />
We know there are people out there<br />
who may be able to help by being<br />
a foster carer.”<br />
Of course you can’t just turn up<br />
and offer to be a carer - the first<br />
step is usually a phone call to Social<br />
Services or check out the council’s<br />
website. If you are interested<br />
please do get in contact with us to<br />
discuss this further.<br />
We provide pre-approval training<br />
prior to a comprehensive<br />
assessment process being<br />
undertaken. If you are approved<br />
you will have an identified social<br />
worker with responsibility<br />
for ensuring that you receive<br />
on-going training, support and<br />
supervision to ensure you are<br />
equipped and well informed<br />
to undertake your role.<br />
We provide a range of support<br />
services together with an out-ofhours<br />
telephone service manned<br />
every evening by a member<br />
of staff from the Fostering Team.<br />
You can be married or single,<br />
in a same sex relationship,<br />
in your 20s or 60s, have your<br />
own children or not.<br />
Patience, tolerance and a good<br />
sense of humour are essential!<br />
The only people who would not<br />
be considered are those who<br />
have been convicted of an offence<br />
against children or a violent crime.<br />
A Disclosure and Barring<br />
Service (DBS) check will be<br />
made and the council will request<br />
medical and local authority<br />
checks as well as employment<br />
and personal references.<br />
The children range from<br />
0 -17 years and vary in their<br />
personalities and needs.<br />
We respect a child’s racial,<br />
religious, linguistic and cultural<br />
backgrounds when placing them<br />
with a foster family, as well as<br />
ensuring that their health and<br />
ability needs are met.<br />
When you make a fostering<br />
enquiry we will discuss what age<br />
child you can best support and<br />
over what period of time.<br />
For more information visit<br />
www.newport.gov.uk/<br />
fostering